Tasnim – Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman denounced the US president’s decision to halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) amid the coronavirus pandemic as a crime against humanity and yet another step to undermine international institutions.

In a statement on Wednesday, Seyed Abbas Mousavi voiced concern about the US president’s decision to suspend contributing to the WHO’s budget and halt funding to the international organization amid the critical situation created by the outbreak of coronavirus.

He strongly condemned the US decision as another step from the US government in undermining multilateralism and international institutions.

The coronavirus pandemic is directly threatening the health, hygiene and life of people in the world, Mousavi warned.

“The US is abruptly punishing the only coordinator of world health at the worst possible time and amid the fight against a global disaster, as this is utter irresponsibility and crime against humanity,” he said, according to the Foreign Ministry’s website.

“(US President Donald) Trump’s main purpose in suspending the World Health Organization’s budget is pinning the blame on others and covering up the US government’s inefficiency in containing and controlling the coronavirus in that country. He has called on the international community to try to compensate for the US’ unilateral measures and maintain the united global front and stand with that international organization (WHO).

“The American statesmen must recognize that such measure is a violation of their commitments to the international community, and that one cannot hold the world’s humanitarian efforts captive by halting assistance and (exerting) unilateral pressures and take advantage of the illegal and immoral measures.”

Trump said on Tuesday that Washington would suspend the WHO funding over what he called the UN body’s “mismanagement” of the new coronavirus pandemic, in a move that has drawn widespread international condemnation.

The European Union, the African Union, China, France and Germany all criticized Trump for his abrupt move.

The US president has repeatedly accused the WHO of siding with China and reliance on Chinese data, blaming it for “all sorts of false information about transmission and mortality” that was circulated amid initial reports.

The US contributed $400 million to the WHO last year, roughly 15% of its budget.